Carry-on luggage

ABSTRACT

A carry-on luggage includes a housing composed of a right half shell and a left half shell, each half shell including a base layer made from a thermosetting polymeric material (TS) by molding and a protective layer made from a thermoplastic polymeric material (TP) and molded on the outer surface of the base layer. Thus, the housing of the carry-on luggage has excellent impact resistance and toughness.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to shoe technology and more particularly,to storage container technology and more particularly, to a carry-onluggage with impact resistance.

2. Description of the Related Art

The base layers of the housings of currently commercially available hardshell carry-on luggage are made by molding. After molding, the surfacewill be uneven and needed to be polished and then coated with a layer ofcoating so that the surface can be smooth and shiny. However, thisprocessing procedure is quite complicated and time-consuming. Further,regular carry-on luggages commonly have poor impact resistance, theytend to crack or deform due to accidental impact during transportation.Therefore, how to improve the above problem is an important issue.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention has been accomplished under the circumstances inview. It is the main object of the present invention to provide acarry-on luggage, which has excellent impact resistance and is practicalfor high efficient manufacturing.

To achieve this and other objects of the present invention, a carry-onluggage comprises a housing, a plurality of wheels and a handle. Thehousing comprises a base layer and a protective layer. The base layer ismade from a thermosetting polymeric material (TS). The protective layeris made from a thermoplastic polymeric material (TP), and covered overat least one surface of the base layer.

Preferably, the protective layer is covered over the outer surface ofthe base layer.

Preferably, the housing of the carry-on luggage further comprises aprotective layer arranged on an inner surface of the base layer.

Preferably, the protective layer is also made from the thermoplasticpolymeric material (TP).

Further, the thermosetting polymeric material (TS) can be epoxy orpolyester.

Preferably, the base layer has contained therein carbon fibers.

Further, the thermoplastic polymeric material (TP) is selected from thegroup of acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene (ABS), polypropylene (PP),polycarbonate (PC), polyethylene (PE), thermoplastic Polyurethane (TPU),polyamide (PA) and their composites.

Preferably, the base layer is composed of multiple layers.

Other advantages and features of the present invention will be fullyunderstood by reference to the following specification in conjunctionwith the accompanying drawings, in which like reference signs denotelike components of structure.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a schematic drawing illustrating a carry-on luggage embodyingthe present invention.

FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken along line 2-2 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is an enlarged view of Part A of FIG. 2, illustrating thearrangement of the base layer and the protective layer.

FIG. 4 is similar to FIG. 3, illustrating a multilayer configuration ofthe base layer.

FIG. 5 is a sectional view of a part of a carry-on luggage in accordancewith a second embodiment of the present invention, illustrating twoprotective layers respectively arranged on opposing inner and outersurfaces of a base layer.

FIG. 6 is similar to FIG. 5, illustrating a multilayer configuration ofthe base layer.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Referring to FIG. 1, a carry-on luggage in accordance with a firstembodiment of the present invention is shown. The carry-on luggage 1comprises a housing 2, a retractable handle 3, a carrying handle 4, abolt lock 5 and a plurality of wheels 6. The present invention isfocused on the reform of the housing 2.

Further details on the housing 2 are given hereinafter. As illustratedin FIGS. 2 and 3, the housing 2 consists of a right half shell 2A and aleft half shell 2B. The housing 2 is equipped with a zip fastener or thelike so that it can be opened or closed. Every half shell comprises abase layer 22 and a protective layer 24. The base layer 22 is made froma fiber-reinforced thermosetting polymeric material (TS). Infabrication, fibers are mixed in a thermosetting polymeric material(TS), and the mixture is then put in a mold and molded into the desiredfinished product using vacuum molding technology under a predeterminedtemperature and pressure. The protective layer 24 is made from athermoplastic polymeric material (TP) and arranged on an outer surface222 of the base layer 22. The protective layer 24 is joined to the baselayer 22 using heating, pressuring and vacuum techniques, forming afixed protective film on the base layer 22.

In the aforesaid housing 2, in actual practice, the base layer 22 iscomposed of multiple layers 221 of thermosetting polymeric material(TS), as illustrated in FIG. 4 so that the thickness of the base layer22 can be increased according to the size of the carry-on luggage 1,enabling the carry-on luggage 1 to have optimal mechanical strength.Further, the thermosetting polymeric material (TS) can be epoxy orpolyester). The fibers can be glass fibers, carbon fibers or artificialfibers. Further, the fibers can be arranged in a uniaxial or braidedmanner. The thermosetting polymeric material (TS) of the base layer 22provides the housing 2 with a basic strength. The thermoplasticpolymeric material (TP) of the protective layer 24 provides flexibility.Thus, on the one hand, this design enhances the impact resistance of thehousing 2, on the other hand, this design enables the housing 2 to haveexcellent toughness for dispersing impact force easily so that thecarry-on luggage 1 is not easily broken or damaged, and the internalstorage items can be well protected.

The protective layer 24 of the aforesaid housing 2 is joined to the baselayer 22 using a mold and heating, pressuring and vacuum techniques.Further, the protective layer 24 is arranged on the outer surface 222 ofthe base layer 22, enabling the housing 2 to provide a smooth shinysurface. The thermoplastic polymeric material (TP) of the protectivelayer 24 is selected from the group of acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene(ABS), polypropylene (PP), polycarbonate (PC), polyethylene (PE),thermoplastic Polyurethane (TPU), polyamide (PA) and their composites,having high tension, tough and wear resistance characteristics.

As described above, the main feature of the present invention is: thebase layer 22 that is made by molding using heating, pressuring andvacuum techniques provides the housing 2 a basic strength, and theprotective layer 24 that is covered over the outer surface 222 of thebase layer 22 enables the housing 2 to have excellent impact resistanceand facilitates rapid production of the housing 2.

Referring to FIG. 5, a carry-on luggage in accordance with a secondembodiment of the present invention is shown. When compared with theaforesaid first embodiment of the present invention, this secondembodiment emphasizes a complete internal and external protection of thecarry-on luggage 1. The housing 2′ of this second embodiment comprises abase layer 22′ and two protective layers 24′. Similar to the aforesaidfirst embodiment, the base layer 22′ is made from a fiber-reinforcedthermosetting polymeric material (TS). In fabrication, fibers are mixedin a thermosetting polymeric material (TS), and the mixture is then putin a mold and molded into the desired finished product using vacuummolding technology under a predetermined temperature and pressure. Theprotective layer 24′ is made from a thermoplastic polymeric material(TP). Further, the base layer 22′ has an outer surface 222′ and anopposing inner surface 224. The two protective layers 24′ arerespectively molded on the opposing outer surface 222′ and inner surface224 of the base layer 22′ using heating, pressuring and vacuumtechniques, and covered over the overall outer surface 222′ and innersurface 224 of the base layer 22′. Thus, the design of these twoprotective layers 24′ can protect the both inner and outer sides of thebase layer 22′, enhancing the impact resistance of the housing 2′.

In the aforesaid housing 2′, in actual practice, the base layer 22′ iscomposed of multiple layers 221′ of thermosetting polymeric material(TS), as illustrated in FIG. 6 so that the thickness of the base layer22′ can be increased according to the size of the carry-on luggage 1,enabling the carry-on luggage 1 to have optimal mechanical strength.Thus, the thermosetting polymeric material (TS) of the base layer 22′provides the housing 2′ with a basic strength. The thermoplasticpolymeric material (TP) of the protective layer 24′ providesflexibility. Thus, the housing 2′ has enhanced impact resistance andexcellent toughness so that the carry-on luggage 1 is not easily brokenor damaged, and the internal storage items can be well protected.

In conclusion, the main feature of the present invention is the designof the housing 2(2′). The base layer 22(22′) is made from athermosetting polymeric material (TS) by molding using heating,pressuring and vacuum techniques. The protective layer 24(24′) is madefrom a thermoplastic polymeric material (TP) and molded on the baselayer 22(22′) and covered over the outer surface 222(222′) or both theouter surface 222′ and inner surface 224 of the base layer 22(22′).Thus, the fabrication of the housing 2(2′) does not require a manualpatching step as seen in the prior art design, i.e., the inventionallows rapid and mass production of the housing 2(2′) to meet acost-effectiveness target. Further, the perfect composition of the baselayer 22(22′) and the protective layer 24(24′) enables the housing 2(2′)based carry-on luggage 1 to have excellent impact resistance.

Although particular embodiments of the invention have been described indetail for purposes of illustration, various modifications andenhancements may be made without departing from the spirit and scope ofthe invention. Accordingly, the invention is not to be limited except asby the appended claims.

What is claimed is:
 1. A carry-on luggage, comprising a housing, aplurality of wheels and a handle, wherein: said housing comprising abase layer made from a thermosetting polymeric material (TS), and aprotective layer made from a thermoplastic polymeric material (TP) andcovered over at least one surface of said base layer.
 2. The carry-onluggage as claimed in claim 1, wherein said protective layer is coveredover an outer surface of said base layer.
 3. The carry-on luggage asclaimed in claim 1, wherein said housing further comprises a protectivelayer arranged on an inner surface of said base layer.
 4. The carry-onluggage as claimed in claim 3, wherein said protective layer is madefrom a thermoplastic polymeric material (TP).
 5. The carry-on luggage asclaimed in claim 1, wherein said thermosetting polymeric material (TS)is selected from the group of epoxy and polyester.
 6. The carry-onluggage as claimed in claim 1, wherein said base layer has containedtherein carbon fibers.
 7. The carry-on luggage as claimed in claim 1,wherein said thermoplastic polymeric material (TP) is selected from thegroup of acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene (ABS), polypropylene (PP),polycarbonate (PC), polyethylene (PE), thermoplastic Polyurethane (TPU),polyamide (PA) and their composites.
 8. The carry-on luggage as claimedin claim 1, wherein said base layer is composed of multiple layers.